Epidendrum ochricolor A.D.Hawkes GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Cuniculatum

TYPE Drawing of E ochranthum by © Schlechter

LATE

Common Name The Ochre Colored Flower Epidendrum

Flower Size

Found in Pichincha province of Ecuador on tree trunks in forests without elevational data as a small to large sized epiphyte with a few branched, leafy stem carrying erect-spreading to sub-erect, oblong-ligulate, obtuse with an apicule, coriaceous leaves that blooms in the late fall on a terminal, decurved to nodding, sub-sessile to 1.2" [3 cm] long, 6 to 8 flowered inflorescence with lanceolate, acuminate, slightly shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying small, whitish glabrous flowers.

"Epidendrum ochricolor A.O.Hawkes is part of GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Cuniculatum which is characterized by the monopodial, branching hablt, adpressed leaf-sheaths, acute leaves, and 3-lobed lip. The species has wider leaves .2 to .4 [5 to 10 mm] and obliquely ovate lateral lobes of the lip. It is very similar to E tenuicaule with its bushy, branching, short plants, narrow leaves, mostly less than .21" [5 mm] wide, the arching small inflorescence with greenish yellow, simultaneous flowers, the lateral lobes of the lip well developed, dolabriform, and a short nectary. Epidendrum cuniculatum Schltr. has a deeper nectary, penetrating more than half the ovary, a larger, funnel-shaped clinandrium-hood with the margin sinuous, and very short, reniform, lateral lobes of the lip, with a sinuous margin. In Ecuador it has been confused wlth Epidendrum scabrum Ruiz & Pavón has very tall monopodial stems, with a relatively large, somewhat paniculate, arching-nutant, many-flowered inflorescence and much larger, wider leaves, to .52" [13 mm] wide. It grows in the same region as E. angustissimum Lindl. (syn. E. chortophyllum Schltr.) which forms a more open bush, and has linear-lanceolate, acuminate leaves to .14" [3.5 mm] wide, the rachis of the inflorescence longer, to 2.12" [5.3 cm] long and the lateral lobes of the lip semi-orbicular. It somewhat resembles E. soratae Rchb.f. which has infundibuliform leaf-sheaths, short stems produced from the subapical internodes of the previous stem, narrow, linear petals with an entire margin and a reniform lip, with a very small, emarginate midlobe and the margins entire." Adapted from E tenuicaule Plate 892 Hagsater etal 2006

Synonyms Epidendrum ochranthum Schltr. 1921

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 8: 77 Schlechter 1921 as E ochranthum; Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. Figuren-Atlas 57: 351 Schlechter 1929 as E ochranthum drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum Vol 8 Plate 892 Hagsater & Sanchez 2006 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1233 Hagsater 2009 see recognition section;

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